Systems and methods for recycling electronic systems

Abstract

In accordance with certain embodiments, devices are recycled by removing one or more electronic components from a portion of the device and urging one or more regions of the portion of the device toward an abrasion head. The abrasion head mechanically removes at least a portion of patternable material in each of the one or more regions. The steps are repeated for subsequent portions of the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of recycling a device comprising a plurality of electronic components disposed over a flexible composite material, the flexible composite material comprising a flexible substrate and a patternable material disposed thereover, wherein the patternable material is patterned to form a pattern therein, the method comprising:
 receiving a portion of the device; 
 removing one or more electronic components from the received portion of the device; 
 locally deforming one or more regions of the received portion of the device to vertically urge the one or more regions toward an abrasion head without deforming or urging toward the abrasion head one or more other portions of the device, whereby the abrasion head mechanically removes at least a portion of the patternable material in each of the one or more regions; and 
 repeating the above steps for one or more portions of the device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein removing the one or more electronic components from the received portion of the device comprises mechanical scraping. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more regions of the received portion of the device are vertically urged toward the abrasion head by being locally deformed by one or more actuators, the received portion of the device being disposed between the abrasion head and the one or more actuators. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more actuators comprise a plurality of actuators. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein (i) locally deforming the one or more regions of the received portion of the device comprises actuating one or more of the actuators, and (ii) one or more others of the actuators are not actuated thereduring. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the one or more removed electronic components after removal thereof. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the removed at least a portion of the patternable material after removal thereof. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the device is received horizontally from a supply reel. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising, after urging the one or more regions of the received portion of the device toward the abrasion head, transferring the received portion of the device horizontally to a take-up reel. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after urging the one or more regions of the received portion of the device toward the abrasion head, transferring the received portion of the device horizontally to a take-up reel. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising heating the received portion of the device before the at least a portion of the patternable material is removed. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying pressure to a top surface of the composite material when the one or more regions of the received portion of the device are locally deformed, the one or more regions being locally deformed via mechanical force applied to a bottom surface of the composite material. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying tension to the composite material when the one or more regions of the received portion of the device are locally deformed. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein, when the one or more regions of the received portion of the device are locally deformed and thereby vertically urged toward the abrasion head, one or more second regions of the received portion of the device are not locally deformed or vertically urged toward the abrasion head. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more regions of the received portion of the device are locally deformed in accordance with the pattern formed in the patternable material, only regions of the received portion of the device having patternable material disposed thereover being locally deformed and thereby vertically urged toward the abrasion head. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a depth of the mechanical removal based on a feedback signal. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the feedback signal comprises an electrical feedback signal received via an electrical circuit formed with the patternable material. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the feedback signal comprises an optical feedback signal received through the substrate. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the one or more electronic components are removed from a top surface of the device, and (ii) the at least a portion of the patternable material is mechanically removed from the top surface of the device. 
     
     
       20. A method of recycling a device comprising a plurality of electronic components disposed over a flexible composite material, the flexible composite material comprising a flexible substrate and a patternable material disposed thereover, wherein the patternable material is patterned to form a pattern therein, the method comprising:
 receiving a portion of the device horizontally from a supply reel; 
 removing one or more electronic components from the received portion of the device; 
 locally deforming one or more regions of the received portion of the device to vertically urge the one or more regions toward an abrasion head without deforming or urging toward the abrasion head one or more other portions of the device, whereby the abrasion head mechanically removes at least a portion of the patternable material from each of the one or more regions of the received portion of the device; 
 thereafter, transferring the received portion of the device horizontally to a take-up reel; and 
 repeating the above steps for one or more portions of the device. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more regions of the received portion of the device are vertically urged toward the abrasion head by being locally deformed by one or more actuators, the received portion of the device being disposed between the abrasion head and the one or more actuators. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 20 , further comprising storing the one or more removed electronic components after removal thereof. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 20 , further comprising storing the removed at least a portion of the patternable material after removal thereof.